NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE21-002: Trolley bus circuit breaker fires
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE21-002 on January 15, 2021 and closed it on July 22, 2022. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Arboc Spirit Of Liberty and Spirit Of America for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE21-002 (also written PE21002)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Closed July 22, 2022
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- ARBOC Specialty Vehicles, LLC
- Components
- Electrical System — Wiring; Electrical System — Wiring — Fuses and Circuit Breakers
- Vehicles and equipment
- Arboc Spirit Of Liberty and Spirit Of America
A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE21-002.
In a July 7, 2020 letter, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of three separate fire incidents resulting in the total loss of eight of its Spirit of America trolley buses. These buses were manufactured by ARBOC Specialty Vehicles, LLC (Arboc) on incomplete chassis from Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation. Considering the safety concerns and substantial losses, LAWA grounded the remaining buses in its fleet. OnJanuary 15, 2021, NHTSA opened an investigation to determine if a defect in the subject vehicles exists and presents an unreasonable risk to vehicle occupants and nearby people or property. On February 24, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) sent an Information Request (IR) letter to Arboc. On April 8, 2021, ODI received an IR response from Arboc that included information on vehicle production, consumer complaints, field reports, warranty claims, manufacturer actions, vehicle changes and other data related to the alleged defect. On June 29, 2021, Arboc sent NHTSA a copy of an investigation report/update (Investigations into LAWA Thermal Events) done by a third-party investigation firm (hired by the chassis manufacturer) that included an assessment of the alleged defect/fires. ODI also engaged in discussions with the manufacturer about the alleged defect on multiple occasions during this investigation. Upon analysis of available data, ODI has not determined the existence of a safety defect. The third-party investigation report points to the 30-amp recessed circuit breaker as the hottest point in the vehicle during the December 21, 2019 fire (first fire) and suggests that it could have been a root cause for that fire. However, that report is inconclusive.
Based on available information, the causation of the two subsequent fires appears unrelated to the circuit breaker. The second fire (February 2020) appears to have been caused by technician error during repair of fleet vehicles by Arboc pursuant to TSB AR 875. Information provided by Arboc from the third-party investigation indicates that the third fire (June 3, 2020) was likely caused by the intentional or negligent acts of individuals who gained unauthorized access to LAWA property and the trolleys themselves. NHTSA is not aware of fires other than the three described above in the LAWA fleet. There are other fleets with the same make and model trolley buses. Arboc has also previously taken several actions related to the subject vehicles. On June 9, 2020, Arboc issued TSB AR875 to secure the 30-amp recessed circuit breaker. On June 17, 2020, Arboc issued Recall 20V-335 to address misrouted power cables that may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire. Since June 3, 2020, there have been no reports of vehicle fires and no reports of crash, injury, or death. Based on the available information, NHTSA has closed this investigation without finding a safety-related defect. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that no safety-related defect exists. The Agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE21-002. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE21-002
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.